Vice Examines UK's Thriving Underground Racing Scene [video]

The first Fast and Furious film may have helped promote the import/tuner culture, but the craze was well under way by the film’s 2001 release. While the tuner community may have changed through the years, it continues nearly true to the way we remember it in the UK.
Vice Magazine does some great work on video documentaries on the less-talked-about corners of our world. And their video “Boy Racer: Fast & Furious in the UK” covers a world where folks of humble means pour every last penny into their customized compact. Well, that and alcohol:

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With the British Government cracking down on illegal street racing, these “Boy Racers” have moved to industrial regions and less populated areas like Essex to play out their passion.
It speaks to their commitment to the hobby. One of the racers said that if he didn’t have a car to work on, he’d “go on the dole and get pissed every day.” (Translation: He’d go on government assistance and use the money to get drunk.) The modified Subaru Impreza gives him a sense of purpose, and reminds one of someone modding a Mustang or Camaro somewhere in the American Midwest. It just goes to show you the power of the automobile, and that fast cars are a common thread the world over.
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